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11 Mar 2014

Schools asked to help plant WWI Centenary Woods

THREE MILLION TREESWILL BE AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLSAND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO PLANT

Today, the Woodland Trust launches its First World War Centenary Woods project which will see millions of trees planted across the UK and four flagship woods created – in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – to commemorate the Centenary of the First World War.

Some of the trees that will be planted at the new woodland in Epsom,

Surrey, include alder, beech, blackthorn, wild cherry and crab apple

The "centenary woods" will be formed by volunteers planting trees and plants.

Volunteers can find out about their ancestors who took part in the war and dedicate trees in memory.

The woods are expected to span more than 1,000 acres collectively.

Three million free trees will also be available to schools and community groups to plant, the charity said.

The trust said the trees would "transform the landscape into rich, vibrant and flourishing woodland", and prove to be a fitting legacy for those who lost their lives in the 1914-1918 war.

The first trees will be planted this autumn,

and the project is set to continue until autumn 2018

Sites in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are yet to be chosen for the woodlands, while for England a 640-acre site near Epsom, Surrey, has already been earmarked.

The site at Langley Vale will be bigger than the Olympic Park and have space to include 200,000 trees, and it will link up pockets of existing woodland.

The Woodland Trust hopes the trees will stand for hundreds of years

'Resilience'

Woodland Trust project director Karl Mitchell said: "The trees planted during the course of this £12 million project will stand for hundreds of years, providing a lasting tribute to all those involved in the First World War.

"We hope to see many thousands of people getting involved by planting their own tribute or dedicating trees in memory of loved ones.

"As well as representing enormous strength and bravery shown by the nation during World War One, the trees that are planted during the course of the project will help strengthen our natural landscape, increasing its resilience to the threats posed by pests and diseases."

Around 200,000 trees will be planted at Langley Vale, in Epsom, Surrey

The first trees will be planted this autumn, and the project is set to continue until autumn 2018.

Schools and community or youth groups will be able to apply for a share of the three million trees, which can be planted anywhere the individual school or group chooses.